DISCUSSION THREAD -- September 2023 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge

[nixie]

I thought @Luiglin was getting my vote with @mosaix a close second, then I read @Phyrebrat entry and @The Judge.
@Phyrebrat won, nice and creepy.

 

[paranoid marvin]

I would say, on the contrary, that it is surprising how similar US and British English have remained over the 250 years since we parted company. The language as a whole has changed considerably more since 1775 than the few disparities one could pick on with an ear each way in the mid Atlantic.

They just need to relearn how to pronounce aluminium properly.

 

[Starbeast]

That’s a very late submission for you!

Definitely. I really wanted to be in the challenge.

 

[THX1138]

They just need to relearn how to pronounce aluminium properly.

Having done many business trips to Germany for the Medical Optics company I worked for for many years, I agree!

 

[JS Wiig]

Al, you mini! Um…

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

Thanks all for all the great stories:

Almost voted for

The Synesthesiast in Space by @Cat's Cradle Wasabi and chocolate is a good combination.

The perils of self-knowledge by @genelewis A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Fatal Vision by @Astro Pen If the whole world threw their lives like cards onto a table, and you could read every one -you'd pick your own back up

Ended up voting for:

Can’t Unsee It by @Bren G Ya can't disprove a good conspiracy.

Plenty of crackers in there. Just had an idea for a spy satellite gone awry -shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted Great theme.

Thanks to the mods and reviewers for working another good run of tales.

 

[Yozh]

Shortlist:

@THX1138
@Cat's Cradle
@Omniwhere
@genelewis
@Bren G
@Phyrebrat
@Peter V


And my vote to @Ursa major So much packed into 75 words!

 

[Ursa major]

Many, many thanks for the vote, @Yozh

 

[Stable]

Shortlist: @Victoria Silverwolf, @Cat's Cradle, @emrosenagel.
I voted for @THX1138.

 

[Astro Pen]

Hot easy
Shortlist:
@Victoria Silverwolf I would like the crime to have been damaging a surveillance camera. More irony
@THX1138 A story of taking on personal responsibility, appropriate for our times.
@Bren G When you look at what politicians do rather than what they look like you have to ask the "are they human?" question
@Peter V I know someone (human) who I think has tetrachromacy We argued about colours before I realised that they saw them differently.

Vote to @Christine Wheelwright How many of us divorcees have run that question through our minds, even without technological confirmation?

 

[johnnyjet]

My Long List was way too long, out of sight. However, I've narrowed it down to a (still long) Short List and *** Favorite ***:

Eumenides - Victoria Silverwolf
Even the Sighted Are Blind – Guttersnipe
The Synesthesiast in Space - Cat's Cradle
Watching All Possible Clocks Strike Midnight – BigJ
You Get What You See – emrosenagel
Fried Chicken – Abernovo
To see the world – Yozh
Can’t Unsee It - Bren G
*** Astigmatism – Phyrebrat ***
Eyeless - Peter V
Seeing Freedom – Parson
The ‘What If?’ Machine - Christine Wheelwright
Sight for Sore Eyes - The Judge

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Shortlist:
@Victoria Silverwolf
@mosaix
@Astro Pen
@M. Robert Gibson
@The Judge

Vote to:
@Mon0Zer0

 

[Phyrebrat]

The theme of vision was such fertile ground for this month, I really enjoyed reading these.

Longlist, shortlist*
Victoria
Luiglin
CC
Big J *
Omniwhere
Monozero
Johnnyjet *
Mosaix
Stable
Parson
TJ
Ursa *

But I was pretty sure Genelewis’ disturbing inner eye would get my vote and it did. Right up my street!

 

[Parson]

Thanks for the shortlisting @johnnyjet and @Phyrebrat they were much appreciated.

 

[THX1138]

Long list:
@Victoria Silverwolf
@Abernovo
@Mon0Zer0 - Like the title!
@StilLearning
@The Judge

Short list:
@genelewis
@JS Wiig
@Bren G

Vote:
@Phyrebrat

 

[paranoid marvin]

Starbeast and Ursa make my shortlist, M.Robert Gibson gets my vote.

Some fun entries this month, and these 3 cheered me up the most.

 

[genelewis]

A lot of great concepts and stories!

My shortlist is @BigJ @emrosenagel @Astro Pen @Phyrebrat @Stable and @Christine Wheelwright

And my vote goes to @Victoria Silverwolf as the most vision-y of the bunch.

 

[Parson]

I've just run across my note telling me I have stories to review.

@Elckerlyc .... The surgeon ,,,, Elc gives us a story where seeing might not be believing.

@Christine Wheelwright .... The ‘What If?’ Machine .... C. W. shows us that sometimes being blind is all to the best.

@The Judge .... Sight for Sore Eyes .... Her Honor really puts the teeth in seeing a sight for sore eyes.

@Starbeast .... 2121 Dream .... S. Beast sees a world of fire and perhaps a better one.

@Ursa major ..... Sight Unseen… and More…. .... The Bear helps us to think about what it means to have unseen sights.

 

[sule]

Honorable Mentions:
Eumenides by Victoria Silverwolf
Watching All Possible Clocks Strike Midnight by BigJ
You Get What You See by emrosenagel
Astigmatism by Phyrebrat

Vote:
Sight for Sore Eyes by The Judge

 

[Parson]

Time to vote. Let's see what we've got:

Shortlisted...... because

Reverence by @Luiglin because of the horribleness of what was described and yet it seems very possible.

The Synesthesiast in Space by @Cat's Cradle because it is very inventive in the way it explains language in a way that sounds alien, and somehow comprehensible.

Fatal vision by @Astro Pen because it so clearly points out how seeing, knowing, and looking ahead are not the same thing.

The surgeon by @Elckerlyc because the story was intriguing and the ending completely blindsided me.

The ‘What If?’ Machine by @Christine Wheelwright because this story is such a brilliant concept and punches way above its weight at 75 words.

Sight for Sore Eyes by @The Judge because it shows the cost of Superhero abilities which are usually not considered.

Runners-up
The surgeon & Sight for Sore Eyes both of these stories are brilliant.

Voted for

The 'What if?" Machine because it did such a beautiful job of showing the horror of one of humanity's fondest wishes to be able to revisit seminal choices and see how they would work out.